Tijuana Xolos visit first place Chivas with playoff spot on the line
Credit: Jeremy Collins(XoloGuero)/EVT Sports
The Tijuana Xolos will play their final regular season game in the 2026 Clausura this Saturday, April 25. The Border City Dogs will travel to Guadalajara to face Chivas at the Estadio Akron for a final chance at making the Liga MX playoffs.
Club Tijuana is just outside of the playoffs, in ninth place with 22 points with this final game remaining. Xolos is just behind on goal differential o eighth place Tigres and just one point behind seventh place Atlas.
It has been an up and down season for the Xolitzcuontles, just recently finding a consistent rhythm. Club Tijuana has only lost one of its last six games and is coming off a massive 3-1 win against second place Pachuca.
The Aztec Canines have defeated Pachuca, FC Juarez, Tigres UANL and Leon in these past six games and tied 1-1 against Cruz Azul away from home.
The border city team has shockingly had a very good away record this season, especially compared to other years. Xolos has historically struggled on the road, but has managed to get 11 points in eight games as visitors this season.
The Xoloitzcuintles only have three losses on the road this year and will be looking for another positive result from this match. Club Tijuana played exceptionally well in the last game against Pachuca and will be looking for a similar performance here.
Gilberto Mora back with #Xolos. Here is his goal from tonight against Pachuca.@EVT_News pic.twitter.com/isfZM4XmUs
— Francisco Velasco (@FranciscoEfV) April 23, 2026
That game against Pachcua was Gilberto Mora’s first game back as a starter and he scored the first goal of that clash. Mora has been dealing with discomfort, but has been progressively receiving more playing time.
Diego Abreu and Josef Martinez scored the other goals in that game for Xolos as it was a comfortable win for the Aztec Canine’s. The defense has been solid all season for Sebasian Abreu’s side, tied for third-fewest goals conceded (17) with six other teams.
Antonio Rodriguez has also been key in net and will surely be tested in this away game.
Chivas may be playing for the first place position in this game depending on the result in the Pachuca vs. Pumas match. That game will be just before this match as Pumas is just two points behind Chivas.
If Pumas fails to win, Chivas will have the first place position secured and will have no real stakes in this match. It will be interesting to see how that game directly impacts Chivas game plan for this match against Xolos.
Armando Gonzalez will be fighting for the top goalscorer crown in this game as he will enter the match with 12 goals scored. Gonzalez is just one goal behind San Luis’s Joao Pedro as there is a chance for the Mexican striker to finish with the most goals in Liga MX this season.
“Hormiga” has been one of the best strikers in North America in recent seasons as this is a big tournament for him prior to the World Cup.
This has the potential to be a very hard-fought and intriguing match, but it will be interesting to see what Chivas has at stake in this game.
Francisco, 28, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave. I have covered Liga MX, MLS, Mexico National Team, USWNT, Copa América and European clubs like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.